Dear friend,
I wanted to highlight some of the things I have been doing in Washington, D.C. during this Congress to advocate on behalf of women and lift up their voices and stories.
In March, I was proud to host a press conference and be joined by Rep. Dwight Evans and passionate advocates, kicking off the re-introduction of my bill, the Worker Relief and Credit Reform (WRCR) Act). This legislation would enhance and modernize the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), including by expanding eligibility criteria, so that this important tax credit better meets the demands on America’s workforce and continues to fight poverty.
And my bill will compensate Americans who make sacrifices to provide unpaid care to a loved one. An estimated 66% of caregivers in the United States are women, and their work often goes uncompensated. Taking on the role of an unpaid caregiver reduces women’s ability to work and save for retirement. The WRCR Act is a needed recognition that unpaid caregiving is work.
March 14th was Equal Pay Day, the day the average woman must work into the next year to finally earn what the average man earned in the previous year. Women still make only 84 cents for every dollar a man makes—and the wage gap is worse for moms and women of color.
I joined my colleagues in the Democratic Women’s Caucus to reaffirm our commitment to ending wage discrimination, ensure women have access to high-quality, high-paying jobs, and close the wage gap once and for all. We will not stop pushing until we pass the Paycheck Fairness Act, common-sense legislation to increase accountability and transparency to ensure all workers are paid fairly.
In my efforts to continue to advocate for women, I was proud to be named to the position of Communications Task Force Co-Chair in the Democratic Women’s Caucus, which has a record-breaking 94 members this year and is the most historically diverse we have ever been. This leadership position will allow me to take an active role in uplifting the stories of women and policies to support them.
In this role, I hosted a Special Order Hour on the House floor, where I was joined by my colleagues in the Democratic Women’s Caucus to share the stories of the congresswomen who came before us and made it possible for us to be here today.
Watch here.
I joined my colleagues from the Democratic Women’s Caucus in numerous other events over the past several months. In June, we joined together to call on House Republicans to prevent a devastating default and stop holding the American economy hostage. At the press conference, we made it clear that the cuts House Republicans have proposed would mean more hungry kids, lower quality care for veterans, fewer childcare slots, more parents unable to go to work, and steeper challenges for families to get nutrition assistance, health care, and housing.
We also held meetings and roundtables with the Department of Labor’s Women Bureau, focusing on the impact caregiving roles have on women’s lifetime earnings. My words on this subject were shared in Forbes.
I was so proud to join my colleagues in reintroducing the Momnibus, a package of bills spearheaded by myself and my colleagues on the Black Maternal Health Caucus, aimed at addressing key factors driving the maternal health care crisis. This package of legislation includes my Perinatal Workforce Act, which would help build a pipeline of culturally competent perinatal workers. These investments would address racial disparities in maternal health, including here in Wisconsin, where Black mothers die at five times the rate of white mothers, many of which are preventable.
I got the chance to speak with Spectrum News 1 about the importance of doulas and how the Momnibus would help save the lives of moms and their babies.
And finally, I want to congratulate the Port of Milwaukee’s new Director, Jackie Carter. Jackie is the first woman and first African American Port Director, and it is always great to have women at the table. I look forward to working with her as the port plays a vital role in Milwaukee’s economy, and the entire economy of the Great Lakes region.
I am committed to continuing the work to make sure women are at the forefront of policy making. We all benefit when we empower, support, and uplift women.
Your Friend,
Gwen
